The Marble Community Church, under the pastorship of Michael MacKenzie, seeks to touch lives with the gift of salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The church reaches out to those in need through prayer partners and community assistance in addition to outreach and mission programs.
We are people who love the Lord and who love to sing!  

 A comfortable welcoming atmosphere where you can meet new friends
Pastor

Michael MacKenzieBiography Below
 

Church Council

Mike Baumli (chairman)Terry Langley (vice-chairman)
Sue BlueLarry Meredith
Russ PollBob Ellis
Janette Bier

Additional Church Support


Jen Cox, Treasurer
, Pianist/Organist/Choir Director
Peter Bone, Building & Grounds
Larry Meredith, Historian
Kari MacKenzie, Youth Coordinator
Yvonne Ellis, Community Outreach
Darla Baumli, Secretary
Judy Morande, Correspondence
Becky Bone, Mission's Director
Linda Menard, Weddings & Fundraising 
Ally Meredith, Bell Choir DirectorDeb & Kristie Poll, Website

History of the Marble Community Church

By 1908 in Marble there was a need for a church building when St. John’s Episcopal Chapel, built in Aspen in 1886, became available.  With $2500 donated by the Episcopal Women’s Guild, two lots were purchased from William W. Woods. After negotiations by Horace Williams, the chapel was dismantled and moved  to Marble on a railroad car along with the organ and reassembled on its present site. At that time the two side rooms were added and it was renamed St. Paul’s Church. The bell tower and its 500 pound bell were added in 1911. The bell was donated by Mrs. Procter, of Procter and Gamble. Brothers John and Ambrose Williams served as superintendents for many years.

St. Paul’s Church provided a sanctuary for many congregations (Episcopal, Catholic, and Union Congregational) as well as a meeting place for other groups.  It was the center of religious and social activities until late 1941 when the imminence of World War II caused the closing of the Marble Company and the demise of the town. The building was left in the care of the Williams brothers and was not used for many years.

In the early 1950s teenagers from the Vandenbosch and Loudermilk families received permission from the Williams brothers to clean the church and use it for prayer meetings and hymn singing services. Interest in these services grew, and by 1950 a congregation had formed and adopted the name Marble Community Church. During the summers of 1960 and 1961 Rev. Dr. George Drake served the congregation.  He went on to become president of Grinnell College. 

Unfortunately a misunderstanding led the Episcopal Diocese to disallow the congregation’s use of the building. For the next twelve summers the group held worship services in the old high school building. During this period architectural drawings were created in the event another church was needed. Today the drawings reside in the Marble Museum. Also, the practice of inviting guest ministers from many denominations to conduct Sunday services was initiated and proved to be very successful. In 1974 the congregation was again allowed to use the church in exchange for maintenance assistance. In 1980 the recently retired Rev. Dr. Frederick Udlock moved to the area and served the church on a year round basis.

In 1983 the Marble Community Church became incorporated under the laws of Colorado, and had a roll of forty regular or associate members.  After much negotiation, on July 7, 1985 the Rev. Cyril Coverly of the Episcopal diocese presented the deed to the building and land to the officers and members of the Marble Community Church. In 1987 Dr. Udlock retired as pastor and the Rev. Doris Brumbaugh was called to serve the church. Unfortunately, various circumstances caused the membership to decline and in 1991 financial conditions forced the congregation to return to its summer guest minister program.

On 3 August 1989 the church was honored by the United States Department of Interior, National Park Service by being placed into the National Register of Historical Places. On 3 June 2018 the church received a plaque designating such, and is now displayed on the front of the church.

Rev. Linda Arocha Boylan became a part time pastor in 1997, and with growth in the valley and an increase in membership, services were once again held every Sunday. During this time period the desire for stained glass windows and a pulpit were identified. John M. Williams, in memory of his grandfather’s lamp shades depicting Crystal Valley scenes, dreamed of a church that could capture such. As a result, from 1998-2001, Shannon Muse and her studio, Paradise Glass in Carbondale, brought into the church the majesty of the mountains through the design of the stained glass windows.  David Baker, a gifted craftsman designed and built the pulpit.

From 2002-2004, the church undertook the huge task of renovating the original church and building a fellowship hall. With a grant from the Colorado Historical Society, donations from the community and volunteer labor, the project was completed ahead of schedule. A breezeway to connect the two buildings was donated by the Lucht and Van Schaack families in memory of Matthew James Lucht (1988-2003) and completed in 2004.

In 2006 with the hiring of a full time pastor, Rev. Lafe Murray, a parsonage was needed and realized by a donation from the estate of Charles W. Jones. In July 2008 the Marble Community Church celebrated its 100th Anniversary, as well as the dedication of a marble angel sculpture by artist Connie Hendrix.

From 2011 to 2023, Rev. Jon R. Stovall, a retired Air Force chaplain, was a wonderful pastor of the church.

In 2023 Michael MacKenzie became the pastor of the church.

The Marble Community Church stands as a beacon of light in God’s magnificent setting in the Elk Mountain Range. 

About Pastor Mike

Mike MacKenzie, D.Min was born and raised in Prince Edward Island, Canada, the son of a lobster fisherman. He was raised in the church and after graduating from the University of P.E.I. with a business degree, he believed God was leading him to pursue counseling ministry.  In 1993 Mike came to the United states to attend Lincoln Christian College and seminary.  He graduated in 1996 with a Masters in Counseling.  His first position was ministering as a Hospice chaplain in Peoria, Illinois.  During his nearly 6 years in this position he met Kari Reynolds, who had returned from serving as a missionary in China to attend seminary to get her counseling degree.

Mike and Kari would marry in 2002 and follow their passion to counsel Christian workers which led them to serve at Blessing Ranch, an intensive counseling center for Christian leaders that was once located in Livermore, Colorado, north of Fort Collins.

Mike and Kari decided to return to school for their doctorate degrees and chose Denver Seminary and the Doctorate of Marriage and Family Counseling.  They first earned their Master of Divinity equivalency from Denver Seminary and began work on their doctorate.  Lincoln Christian University began a doctorate in counseling Christian leaders and Mike and Kari ended up finishing their doctorate in that program.  While working of their doctorates they opened MacKenzie Counseling Services in Longmont, Colorado and served the church and community for 8 years.

 In 2006, Mike and Kari were introduced to Marble Retreat and for the first time got to visit the beautiful town of Marble, Colorado.  In 2007 they returned to help lead a counseling intensive at the Retreat and began to dream about someday ministering there full-time and living the the mountains.  This dream became a reality when in 2011 they were hired full-time and moved to Marble

Mike and Kari have two wonderful boys ~ Dylan and Easton.  We love the mountains and the people of this valley.  We are so thankful to be here serving in this beautiful historic church.